Rituals combines songs by Charles Ives, Reynaldo Hahn and William Bolcom around a theme of “living the good life”.  The eight Ives songs set texts either by himself or by 19th century English poets in a characteristically Ivesian way.  There are folksy bits and hymn tunes (a setting of Arnold’s “West London”) plus some crazy loud piano (“Paracelsus”).  Laura Choi Stuart sings them idiomatically and clearly with excellent accompaniment by Tanya Blaich.  It’s a vision of the good life rooted in community and collective memory. Continue reading →